Through the film, director Jay K not only doles out entertainment but also prompts the audience to think about the caste system.
A poster of the film 'Grrr'. (Supplied)
Thanks to the title and promotional material, Grrr—starring Kunchacko Boban and Suraj Venjaramoodu—has drawn high expectations from the audience.
The film is based on a real-life incident reported in the Trivandrum Zoo, where a man jumped into a lion’s enclosure in 2018.
While the makers retained this part, the rest of the story is fictional. And, I must say, the encounter with the lion is the major highlight of this Malayalam movie.
Besides an interesting plot, Grrr also has its moments. The lead actors, including the lion, have made the flick thoroughly entertaining with their sizzling chemistry.
The film begins with Reji Mon (Kunchacko Boban) and Rachana (Anagha)’s love story.
Rachana is the daughter of a local politician and belongs to an upper-caste family. Reji Mon is an entrepreneur and struggles to succeed in love because of his caste.
One day, a drunk Reji Mon jumps into a lion’s (named Darshan) enclosure in Trivandrum Zoo.
Haridas (Suraj Venjaramoodu), an official working at the zoo, immediately launches a rescue operation with the help of fire and police personnel.
The incident gets media attention and wide coverage, too. The events that follow keep the story moving forward.
Directed and written by Jay K, Grrr takes its time to establish the reasons behind Reji Mon’s crazy act in the zoo.
The film revolves around two different love stories—Reji Mon-Rachana’s and Haridas-Mridula’s (played by Shruti Ramachandran).
While the first love story is responsible for all the events happening in the movie, the second is about the emotional drama between a couple in search of peace in life.
Grrr turns truly engaging and hilarious from the moment when Reji Mon jumps into the lion’s enclosure. And, the real fun begins after the rescue efforts initially fail to yield results.
Haridas tries hard to infuse some sense into Reji Mon and make him understand the seriousness of the situation. But, having been under the influence of alcohol, Reji doesn’t pay attention to anything. The sequence is elevated by the subtle performances of the actors and their hilarious conversation.
Besides, many scenes leave the audience in splits. These include the portrayal of fire personnel in a caricaturish way. After failing miserably, the firemen watch YouTube videos to learn how to rescue a person from the lion’s enclosure.
In another scene, a doctor (played by Alencier) tries hard to tranquillise Darshan (the lion) but in vain.
While dishing out entertainment, director Jay K also ensures that the film is vocal about caste and politics. He presents the issues in a satirical way but is realistic in his approach.
He also depicts how the media sensationalises content for TRPs.
The Kunchacko Boban and Suraj Venjaramoodu’s combination works in the favour of the film. Their scenes in the lion’s enclosure leave the audience in splits.
The 20-minute portion towards the climax, after the rescue operation, is crucial for the film. Jay K has written the sequences pretty well and also efficiently translated them visually onto the screen.
The music by Dawn Vincent is apt and goes with the flow.
The cinematography by Jayesh Nair is decent.
‘Grrr’ is helmed by director Jay K. (Supplied)
Believe it or not, the lion (Darshan) is the USP of Grrr. The makers have auditioned for the right lion since it gets a good screen time as Kunchacko and Suraj.
Kunchacko Boban, as Reji Mon, is an eye feast. He is effortless as a drunken man who jumps into a lion’s enclosure.
His scenes with Suraj Venjaramoodu have come out well.
Suraj Venjaramoodu proves his true potential as a comedy actor, which he couldn’t do in his previous works.
Anagha, as Rachana, plays a good role as a woman embroiled between her father and her lover. This is her next best after her role in Bheeshma Parvam (2022).
Shruti Ramachandran, as Mridula, excels in comedy.
Manju Pillai plays a quirky role in the movie.
Other actors like Alencier and Senthil Rajamani are impressive.
Grrr is a must-watch for the crazy combination of Kunchacko Boban, Suraj Venjaramoodu, and the lion. It also raises pertinent points about the caste system.
(Views expressed here are personal.)
Jun 18, 2024
Jun 18, 2024
Jun 18, 2024
Jun 18, 2024
Jun 18, 2024
